Shakib Al Hasan on his T20I retirement: Bangladesh's senior all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has announced his retirement from T20 international cricket. He has also expressed his desire to retire from Test cricket at the end of the home series against South Africa in Mirpur next month. The 37-year-old all-rounder made this announcement on Thursday ahead of his team's second Test against India at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur.
Shakib told reporters
“This is the right time to bring in new players. The same is true for T20 Internationals. I have spoken to the chief selector and the BCB president and we all felt it was the right time to move forward and bring in new players.” Shakib has been a constant presence in every T20 World Cup since the inaugural edition in 2007. Shakib retired from the shortest format of the game after featuring in 129 T20 Internationals, in which he scored 2,551 runs at a strike rate of 121.18. He has 149 wickets to his name in bowling.
The all-rounder revealed that he wants to play his last Test match in front of home crowd at the iconic Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka, but he will not be able to fulfill his wish due to security concerns. “I have expressed my desire to play my last Test in Mirpur, if that does not happen, then the second Test against India will be my last Test. Going back to Bangladesh is not a concern, but leaving Bangladesh once you are there can be dangerous,” Shakib said.
If Shakib is unable to play in the Mirpur Test next month, the second and final match of the ongoing series against India in Kanpur on Friday could be his last match for Bangladesh in the longer format. “It feels appropriate for me to end my Test career in front of my home fans. Bangladesh cricket has given me a lot and I want to play my last Test in this format at home.” Interestingly, Shakib made his Test debut against India in Chittagong in May 2007 and has since played 70 Tests for Bangladesh. He has scored 4,600 runs, including five centuries and 31 half-centuries, making him the third-highest run-scorer in Bangladesh's Test history.
Moreover, he is Bangladesh's leading wicket-taker in Test cricket with 242 wickets. He is the only bowler from his country to cross the 200-wicket mark in Tests. Along with his Test career, Shakib also confirmed his plans to retire from ODI cricket after the 2025 Champions Trophy, which will be held early that year. With a career spanning over 17 years, Shakib has been an integral part of Bangladesh's rise on the international stage. The Champions Trophy will be his last appearance. He will retire from all forms of international cricket after playing in a major global tournament for the Tigers.
Leave a comment